Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who joined in the protest along with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at Delhi's Ramlila Grounds, said: "The Modi government has done a number of things that were not in the interest of the nation. The time to change this government will come soon."

The protest also turned violent in certain parts of the country with people damaging public property, buses and cars.

In Bangalore, anticipating trouble, schools and colleges were shut down. The decision to shut schools and colleges was taken after the Karnataka's ruling Janata Dal Secular, which is in alliance with the Congress, said it would support the day-long protest.

There were reports that a two-year-old girl died after her ambulance was not allowed to reach the hospital in Bihar's Jehanabad.

2 year old girl dies. Parents were stuck in jam called due to #BharatBandh in Jehanabad. Protesters did not even permit ambulance to rush to hospital. Violence reported in some other parts. Vehicles vandalised. Top focus @IndiaTodaypic.twitter.com/0wMyxuP79N